New and confused :)

LuluBiscuit
LuluBiscuit Posts: 9
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi folks,
I'm in here for 3 days now and I still find this calories-thing confusing. Other sites tell me that my daily goal is about 1800 or 1400 calories, MLP says 1200. Wondering which one's right!?

Replies

  • jjelizalde
    jjelizalde Posts: 377 Member
    I'm also new and felt confused by the 1200. My daughter who has been doing MFP for some time now told me 1200 calories are for if you have a lot of weight to lose. She suggested that I stay around 1385 and exercise correctly and the pounds will come off. That's what I'm going for. Good luck!!!:flowerforyou:
  • dianefisher47
    dianefisher47 Posts: 223 Member
    I guess it all depends on how you answered the questions, did you loose weight at 1800 and 1400 if not maybe that is why and maybe 1200 will do the trick....and how active are you that also plays in when you entered your goals in ''Tools'' good luck:flowerforyou: :drinker: feel free to add me as a friend if you want
  • samntha14
    samntha14 Posts: 2,084 Member
    for most people 1200 is too little. Go back and see how you answered the questions. You really don't want to loose more than .5-1 lb a week for healthy weight loss. http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html check out his website to figure out your true BMR, the Lowest amount of calories your body needs to keep our organs going, because you really don't want to be below it unless you have Significant weight to loose. You'll find a lot of conflicting information on here so it's about finding what works best FOR YOU! I'm 32, 5'6' and I eat 1660 a day and have consistently lost.
  • kobiemom
    kobiemom Posts: 218 Member
    I'm at 1250. It goes up to 1700 when I go to the gym. I figured it would encourage me to exercise.
  • LuluBiscuit
    LuluBiscuit Posts: 9
    I'm also new and felt confused by the 1200. My daughter who has been doing MFP for some time now told me 1200 calories are for if you have a lot of weight to lose. She suggested that I stay around 1385 and exercise correctly and the pounds will come off. That's what I'm going for. Good luck!!!:flowerforyou:

    Wondering now what is "a lot" :) I want to loose 8kg, don't think this is a huge amount.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    I'm also new and felt confused by the 1200. My daughter who has been doing MFP for some time now told me 1200 calories are for if you have a lot of weight to lose. She suggested that I stay around 1385 and exercise correctly and the pounds will come off. That's what I'm going for. Good luck!!!:flowerforyou:

    Wondering now what is "a lot" :) I want to loose 8kg, don't think this is a huge amount.

    What loss have you set as your weekly goal?

    1lb, 2lb?
  • Purple_Orchid_87
    Purple_Orchid_87 Posts: 517 Member
    I'm also new and felt confused by the 1200. My daughter who has been doing MFP for some time now told me 1200 calories are for if you have a lot of weight to lose. She suggested that I stay around 1385 and exercise correctly and the pounds will come off. That's what I'm going for. Good luck!!!:flowerforyou:

    Wondering now what is "a lot" :) I want to loose 8kg, don't think this is a huge amount.
    i weight 292 and want to lose 100lbs - this is A LOT
  • LuluBiscuit
    LuluBiscuit Posts: 9
    for most people 1200 is too little. Go back and see how you answered the questions. You really don't want to loose more than .5-1 lb a week for healthy weight loss. http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html check out his website to figure out your true BMR, the Lowest amount of calories your body needs to keep our organs going, because you really don't want to be below it unless you have Significant weight to loose. You'll find a lot of conflicting information on here so it's about finding what works best FOR YOU! I'm 32, 5'6' and I eat 1660 a day and have consistently lost.

    I'll try the site, thanks for that.

    And that was a good point to mention...we're al different, so I guess I have to find out what works for me.
  • LuluBiscuit
    LuluBiscuit Posts: 9

    What loss have you set as your weekly goal?

    1lb, 2lb?

    1lb
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    It depends. I started at 208 and want to get to 140. That's only about 16lbs from now...whoot

    Anyway, I've changed my calories a few times in the year I've been doing this. I started at 1200 but i lived in an area where I went to the gym once or twice a day so with exercise I ate 1500-1600. That was a 2lb a week goal.. Then I moved and have no access to a gym and only run for exercise. i changed my goal to 1lb a week and that was 1370 for calories...I lost slower but not getting the same amount of exercise, it worked better for me.

    However, a few days last week i realized I was getting about 1200-1250 without really trying to stay there so i changed my goal back to 1200 and have been doing that and feel fine...not too hungry or anything...if there's a day i'm still hungry after 1200, i eat more...

    Also, sometimes if you do a little for one way and it doesn't seem to be working then try mixing it up by more/less exercise or changing your calories or goal. Sometimes a change, even if only for a month or so, it can jump start you again.
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    PS. If you'd like to add me, you're more than welcome to!
  • jaqiswany
    jaqiswany Posts: 76
    i followed the info and link on dans profile , heres the link

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/mbf/

    he tells you to enter the details in here then do the same with the BMR Calculator , i did both and it gave me all the info i needed , hope that helps
  • Lupes_friend
    Lupes_friend Posts: 4
    Also New, also Confused. Found MFP last night, had to join to get in. Calories recommended: 1400. That's okay, but I do *not* want to eat the amounts of food that come up in the calculations. I would like to have a *little* oatmeal and an egg for breakfast...not a whole cup of oatmeal. How do I calculate a smaller amount?
  • therealkittymao
    therealkittymao Posts: 194 Member
    If you eat 1/4 a cup of oatmeal, for example, you would add .25 to get the accurate amount.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    Dear everyone who is new and confused. Grab a cup of coffee (or tea if you're a limey), turn off the telly, set aside an hour, and read through this:

    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/
  • leeann788
    leeann788 Posts: 72 Member
    Also New, also Confused. Found MFP last night, had to join to get in. Calories recommended: 1400. That's okay, but I do *not* want to eat the amounts of food that come up in the calculations. I would like to have a *little* oatmeal and an egg for breakfast...not a whole cup of oatmeal. How do I calculate a smaller amount?
    You can adjust the amount in the first drop down box. I always do this also. :smile:
  • Balice57
    Balice57 Posts: 125
    You'll want to enter a new food, and figure out your calories. I only ate half my oatmeal yesterday and guesstimated my calories.
  • douglasmobbs
    douglasmobbs Posts: 563 Member
    1Lb of fat = 3500 calories.

    Your weight change = calories in - calories out.

    For a simplified version of calories out: BMR x activity level (see tools) + exercise.

    so if you want to lose 1lb a week you should eat 500 (3500/7) calories fewer than your calories out per day.

    One of the keys to this is to track everything you eat and your exercise as accurately as possible, if you overestimate exercise and underestimate your portion sizes you will be counting things twice in the wrong way.

    Some people just set a calorie target for the day and stick to that.
    Some people eat back a %age of their exercise calories, this gives a bit of leeway to incorrectly logging things.
    Some people eat back all their exercise calories.

    Which ever way you decide to go, good luck and I hope you manage to achieve the weight loss you want.
  • asia_hanebach
    asia_hanebach Posts: 275 Member
    Don't forget that mpf is generally also set up for you to eat back your calories. So once you add in your exercise your allowed calories will go up.
  • Lupes_friend
    Lupes_friend Posts: 4
    This is overwhelming in a very. good. way. Within five minutes I had response and help. Thank you all. I want to do this. A day or so to get myself together and make my plan. (Does that sound okay)? I know you all *get it*. This is the first knowledgeable encouragement and support I have had in years...the whole time I have been gaining for so many reasons. Going to look for that drop-down box now.Thank you all again!
  • LuluBiscuit
    LuluBiscuit Posts: 9
    My BMR is about 1324. So I changed my calories to that...will try this for a while and see if and how it works. I guess you have to figure it out with patience and experience.
  • LuluBiscuit
    LuluBiscuit Posts: 9
    Oh, and of course....THANKS for your answers! It's great to see how the community wants to help :flowerforyou:
  • lovepink87
    lovepink87 Posts: 20
    It really depends on how active you are. MFP has me at about 1400 calories and i try to keep it to about 1200 since i'm trying to loose weight
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
    I think the best thing anyone new to MFP should do is to go to the stickies at the top of this "General Diet and Weight Loss Help" section and read every single one of them. Lots of good information and most of your question will probably be answered there. Including questions you didn't even know you had yet. Good luck!
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